Kulkarni, 71, grew up in India, where the practice of yoga and "ayurveda," a form of holistic alternative medicine, were passed from generation to generation.

"Before traditional medicine, people went to their kitchen pantry and looked for herbs and spices to prevent illnesses from progressing," Kulkarni said.

To this day, the researcher puts a slice of fresh ginger and a piece of cinnamon stick in his tea to prevent upper respiratory infections.

That simple act speaks to immunonutrition, or the practice of boosting the immune system through nutrition or beneficial foods, spices and herbs.

Recently, Kulkarni was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to travel throughout India for four months, starting in the fall. While there, he will be teaching, establishing exchange programs between Indian universities and UTHealth and learning more about the melding of yoga, ayurveda and modern medicine.

The other day, Kulkarni paused long enough to talk about his work:

On vegetarian diets: "The benefits are plentiful for vegetarians, and if you increase certain foods, like beans, you will get lots of protein. Also you'll get good fat going into the body - you want unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats are the real culprits."

Moderation: "But if you eat meat, eat it in moderate amounts. Go for lean meat, in small quantities. Some communities in India eat meat as a flavor. Walk away from the 48-ounce steaks we Texans eat here."

America is dynamic, and so is its nutrition: "I remember in the '70s, when we came here, everybody was using sour cream in their dressings and cooking. Now we've switched to plain yogurt, which has lots of wonderful benefits. My point is, America is a very dynamic country, and when we see something that is not healthy, we try to change it. Unfortunately, some of the things said in the field of nutrition are just not true. People never know what is right or true."

Focus: "My focus for the coming year is immunonutrition, or what we should eat that will serve as a functional food, boost the immune system and keep us healthy. For example, if you eat cereal in the morning, you will get more fiber and added vitamins, and that will help to prevent disease. And substitute plain yogurt for sweet yogurt, which has a lot of sugar. One thing I try to teach my students is eat the way the Japanese eat. That is, appreciate the food on the plate, and eat colorful, small amounts. And eat with chopsticks. And chew it better. Also, you don't need to eat the full meal. Don't overeat."

The Mediterranean diet: "Yes, it's very good. When we adopt the diet, though, we tend to eat too much. Keep in mind what the Indians say, eat two bites less than you would normally eat. Just for fun, I'll tell you another saying in India - every bite you put into your mouth should be chewed 32 times because we have 32 teeth. But it is true: If you eat properly and chew properly, it increases satiety. You will feel full."